Following in the footsteps of the Land Art movement of the 1970s, design studio <a href="http://www.ball-nogues.com/" target="_blank">Ball Nogues</a> has designed this cyclonic <a href="http://inhabitat.com/los-angeles-black-hole/" target="_blank">public art piece</a> to intervene upon the vast landscape of the Mojave <a href="http://inhabitat.com/study-finds-that-climate-change-may-cause-wars/" target="_blank">Desert</a>. Invited by High Desert Test Sites, the <em>Yucca Crater</em> will be a cool oasis-like pool near Joshua Tree Park made by reconfiguring the giant mold used to construct Ball Nogues' <em>Talus Dome</em>.

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Ball Nogues Talus Dome

<a href="http://inhabitat.com/young-architects-program-ps1/" target="_blank">Ball Nogues</a>’ project, <em>Talus Dome</em>, is a carefully constructed “pile” of stainless steel spheres, on the side of a freeway in Edmonton, Alberta.

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Ball Nogues Yucca Crater

To create the shape, and elaborate mold was engineered from wood. Using this formwork, Ball Nogues conceived of <em>Yucca Crater</em>, turning it 180 degrees, with the peak now as the bottom. The project will evoke land art, but give it a modern twist- being constructed entirely from man made (and <a href="http://inhabitat.com/1000-surfboard-graveyard/" target="_blank">recycled</a>) materials. The 24 foot tall crater will dominate the flat desert plane. Inside, sits an oasis pool, filled 8 feet deep.

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Ball Nogues Yucca Crater

Visitors of the desert can take a refreshing dip, by using rock climbing holds to get into the crater. The pool is heated with <a href="http://inhabitat.com/massive-550-megawatt-riverside-solar-project-to-be-built-in-the-californian-desert/" target="_blank">solar power</a>, and continuously pumped through a wind powered turbine.

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Ball Nogues Talus Dome

Repurposing <em>Talus Dom</em>e’s formwork challenged Ball Nogues’ idea of conceptual work, creating an entirely opposite piece from the original, which was a solid mass set into a cold and <a href="http://inhabitat.com/poop-news-arizona-ski-resort-to-make-snow-from-human-effluent/" target="_blank">snowy climate</a>.

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Ball Nogues

The project addresses the issues of recycling, eliminating waste, and draws attention to our impact on the environment- even in art.

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Spiral Jetty by Robert Smithson

Land art became popular in the 1970s, with such famous works as Robert Smithson’s <em><a href="http://inhabitat.com/the-land-art-generator-initiative-combines-art-with-energy-creation/" target="_blank">Spiral Jetty</a></em>, a sculptural coil extending in Utah’s Great Salt Lake, and <em><a href="http://www.diaart.org/sites/main/lightningfield" target="_blank">Lightning Field</a></em> by Walter de Maria, a field in New Mexico with steel rods that attract lightning, creating a beautiful light show. Both are still in existence. Ball Nogues takes inspiration from these great works, adding the element of modernity by addressing current <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tour-vegetale-de-nantes-is-a-spectacular-tower-stacked-high-with-trees/" target="_blank">environmental </a>issues with their pieces.

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Ball Nogues Yucca Crater

Following in the footsteps of the Land Art movement of the 1970s, design studio Ball Nogues has designed this cyclonic public art piece to intervene upon the vast landscape of the Mojave Desert. Invited by High Desert Test Sites, the Yucca Crater will be a cool oasis-like pool near Joshua Tree Park made by reconfiguring the giant mold used to construct Ball Nogues' Talus Dome.